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Obituary of Mary Holland Stephens

MARY H STEPHENS

Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - January 23, 2004

Mary Holland Stephens, 97, passed on to be with God Jan. 21, 2004. She
was born in Isle of Wight County, lived in Holland and graduated from
Holland High School. She was a resident of Walters prior to residing at
Tandem Healthcare of Windsor.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John William Stephens Sr.; her
parents, John Allen Holland and Bessie Duke Holland; her brother,
Clifford Holland and two sisters, Eleanor H. Carr and Bessie H. Spivey.
Mrs. Stephens is survived by her sons, John H. "Billy" Stephens Jr. and
wife, Faye of Walters; grandchildren, John Brian Stephens and Jennifer
Rae Stephens; and great-grandchild, Brian Shane Stephens. Her surviving
brother is Raby Holland. She is also survived by numerous nephews and a
niece.
She was a longtime devoted and dedicated member of Colosse Baptist
Church where she served faithfully. She taught Sunday school for many
years and was a past officer in the Womens Missionary Union and Peggy
Johnson Circle. She was also a delegate to the Blackwater Baptist
Association.
Mrs. Stephens, Mary Johnnie as she was called, was also very active in
the community and neighborhood, and was loved and known for her
unselfish willingness to help with anything, especially caring for the
sick and sharing her good cooking. She loved birds, especially
cardinals. She was a past member of the Walters Homemakers Club and
Womans Club. She was active for years in the American Cancer Society and
was a cancer survivor herself. She served as a volunteer "Pink Lady" for
the Hospital Auxiliary of Southampton Memorial Hospital for many years
earning her pin for more than 1000 hours of service. In her later years,
she enjoyed working faithfully part time at Sandras House of Flowers,
which she dearly loved, and had many devoted co-workers and friends.
A farewell service of love and prayer will be conducted at 2 p.m.
Saturday at Wright Funeral Home, Franklin, with the Rev. Tim Webb and
the Rev. Steve Bradshaw officiating. Burial will follow in Colosse
Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends today from 7 to
8:30 p.m. at the funeral home and other times at the home of her son at
28090 Walters Highway.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Colosse Baptist Church,
6361 Rhodes Drive, Windsor, VA 23487, or to the Alzheimers Association
Southeastern Virginia Chapter, c/o Brenda Redd, 818 Clay St., Franklin,
VA 23851.

Edition: FINAL
Section: LOCAL
Page: B7



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––– Narrative Summary of the Obituary –––

Mary Holland Stephens, 97, of Walters, died 21 Jan 2004. She was born in Isle of Wight County, graduated from Holland High School, and was a longtime member of Colosse Baptist Church. She was active in community, church, and hospital volunteer work.

Funeral services were held 24 Jan 2004 at Wright Funeral Home, Franklin, officiated by the Rev. Tim Webb and the Rev. Steve Bradshaw. Burial followed in Colosse Baptist Church Cemetery, Windsor.

––– Transcript –––

MARY H STEPHENS

Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - January 23, 2004

Mary Holland Stephens, 97, passed on to be with God Jan. 21, 2004. She
was born in Isle of Wight County, lived in Holland and graduated from
Holland High School. She was a resident of Walters prior to residing at
Tandem Healthcare of Windsor.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John William Stephens Sr.; her
parents, John Allen Holland and Bessie Duke Holland; her brother,
Clifford Holland and two sisters, Eleanor H. Carr and Bessie H. Spivey.

Mrs. Stephens is survived by her sons, John H. "Billy" Stephens Jr. and
wife, Faye of Walters; grandchildren, John Brian Stephens and Jennifer
Rae Stephens; and great-grandchild, Brian Shane Stephens. Her surviving
brother is Raby Holland. She is also survived by numerous nephews and a
niece.

She was a longtime devoted and dedicated member of Colosse Baptist
Church where she served faithfully. She taught Sunday school for many
years and was a past officer in the Womens Missionary Union and Peggy
Johnson Circle. She was also a delegate to the Blackwater Baptist
Association.

Mrs. Stephens, Mary Johnnie as she was called, was also very active in
the community and neighborhood, and was loved and known for her
unselfish willingness to help with anything, especially caring for the
sick and sharing her good cooking. She loved birds, especially
cardinals. She was a past member of the Walters Homemakers Club and
Womans Club. She was active for years in the American Cancer Society and
was a cancer survivor herself. She served as a volunteer "Pink Lady" for
the Hospital Auxiliary of Southampton Memorial Hospital for many years
earning her pin for more than 1000 hours of service. In her later years,
she enjoyed working faithfully part time at Sandras House of Flowers,
which she dearly loved, and had many devoted co-workers and friends.

A farewell service of love and prayer will be conducted at 2 p.m.
Saturday at Wright Funeral Home, Franklin, with the Rev. Tim Webb and
the Rev. Steve Bradshaw officiating. Burial will follow in Colosse
Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends today from 7 to
8:30 p.m. at the funeral home and other times at the home of her son at
28090 Walters Highway.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Colosse Baptist Church,
6361 Rhodes Drive, Windsor, VA 23487, or to the Alzheimers Association
Southeastern Virginia Chapter, c/o Brenda Redd, 818 Clay St., Franklin,
VA 23851.

––– Vital Statistics –––

|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Name  | Mary Holland Stephens                            |
| Age   | 97                                               |
| Birth | 1907 (estimated); Isle of Wight County, Virginia |
| Death | 21 Jan 2004                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------|

––– Table of Relationships –––

|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Name                         | Relationship          | Residence         |
|------------------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
| Mary Holland Stephens        | Decedent              | Walters, Virginia |
| John William Stephens Sr.    | Husband (predeceased) | -                 |
| John Allen Holland           | Father (predeceased)  | -                 |
| Bessie Duke Holland          | Mother (predeceased)  | -                 |
| John H. "Billy" Stephens Jr. | Son                   | Walters, Virginia |
| Faye Stephens                | Daughter-in-law       | Walters, Virginia |
| John Brian Stephens          | Grandchild            | -                 |
| Jennifer Rae Stephens        | Grandchild            | -                 |
| Brian Shane Stephens         | Great-grandchild      | -                 |
| Raby Holland                 | Brother               | -                 |
| Clifford Holland             | Brother (predeceased) | -                 |
| Eleanor H. Carr              | Sister (predeceased)  | -                 |
| Bessie H. Spivey             | Sister (predeceased)  | -                 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|

––– Publication Details –––

|---------------------------------|
| Field    | Value                |
|----------|----------------------|
| Location | Norfolk, VA          |
| Name     | Virginian-Pilot, The |
| Date     | 23 Jan 2004          |
| Edition  | FINAL                |
| Section  | LOCAL                |
| Page     | B7                   |
|---------------------------------|

––– Other Relevant Information –––

• Member of Colosse Baptist Church
• Sunday school teacher for many years
• Officer in Womens Missionary Union
• Delegate to Blackwater Baptist Association
• Member of Walters Homemakers Club
• Member of Womans Club
• Volunteer Pink Lady at Southampton Memorial Hospital
• Worked at Sandras House of Flowers
• Cancer survivor
• Also known as Mary Johnnie
• Birth name was Mary Holland Stephens

		
[See also:
www.findagrave.com/memorial/110804688/mary-stephens
www.findagrave.com/memorial/110804662/john_w-stephens (spouse)
www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2160547/colosse-baptist-church-cemetery
]


[Contributed by Bruce Saunders, bs4403@verizon.net
Formattinng and references by the Southampton Transcription Project]

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